Opposites Road

The world outside of the tavern was quiet, still, with only a few windows lit in the village below. Teagan stood, slightly unsteady, but he tried to stand straight to keep appearances. Ealisay slowly guided him down the slope keeping her legs shoulder width to keep herself steady. Her intake of ale was less than his and luckily she had matured since her mother's last spring salon when she shamelessly flirted with a couple of Banns' son and Ser Gilmore. A ghost of a smile flitted across her lips at the memory.

"I am sorry for revealing your identity, my lady." Teagan replied as headed up the hill to the cliff that over looked the bay.

Ealisay sighed and patted the arm that she held. "Don't fret over it, Bann Teagan. It was a foolish hope to keep my heritage secret. Hopefully there are no spies about to give my position away to Howe or Loghain if they are cohorts in this insane plan."

"Are you truly heading to Orzammar? Just for some golem?" Teagan asked with a hiccup.

"Shale helped get the Urn of Sacred Ashes and I think I might be able to lay low there for a while."

"I wish you would reconsider. It is dangerous in the mountains." he stopped their progress to take both of her hands in his. "You would be safe here or in Rainsfere. Nor my brother or I would let anything happen to you."

"I can take care of myself, thank you." she controlled her composure to not upset the man as she slipped her hands out of his. "I shall be back by the Landsmeet. I won't want to miss it for the world."

Teagan was silent as she walked him over to the cliff. He sat down on a crate and looked up at her as she watched the guards walk the castle walls. It looked so peaceful now that she wasn't fighting the undead. She tried to ignore the man next to her and was doing a good job until he sighed. She cast a glance down at him and saw hims staring up at her with a curious look on his face. He must be drunker than she had thought.

"Good night, Bann Teagan." she replied. "Try not to fall off the cliff. Hm?"

He gave no response to her but just sat staring up at the orb that was the moon. She walked back down to the tavern and found that it was still in full swing with Murdock standing on a table singing loudly with most of the patrons singing along. The Grey Wardens were still at their table and Leliana came over with a mug and a smile.

"Oh, so you came back." she giggled. "We were wondering if you had escorted Bann Teagan back to the castle."

"No, I left him by the Mill," she smirked as she took the mug from Leliana. "Hopefully he doesn't tumble over the cliff."

"Will you be staying in the castle for the night?"

"No, I paid for a room here." she pointed down indicating the tavern they were in. "Though I don't think I shall have any rest tonight I think."

Leliana nodded and took her hand, guiding her back to the table they had been sitting at. Alistair was chuckling into his beer and Daylen was telling him something over the table. The elf straightened as they neared.

"You return!" Alistair crowed happily. "We were just talking about you!"

Ealisay looked from Daylen to the drunk man and then smirked. "Oh?"

"Tell me, lady, have you ever licked a lamp post in winter?"

The blond warden's tone made the question into something salacious. She eyed the young man, wondering if he knew the question sounded like it did. "I was taught not to put my mouth on things that I did not know where they had been. Why? Have you an interesting story with you and a lamp post you wish to tell?"

Alistair stared at her for a moment and turned to Daylen. "She's a tricky one, she is."

"How much has he had?"

"About half a pint."

Ealisay's right eyebrow quirked. "Is he a giggler?"

Alistair leaned closer to her and studied her eyebrow. "How do you do that? Does it take some sort of skill to do that?"

Ealisay leaned away from him and narrowed her eyes. "You do it too."

"Do I really?" he looked over at Daylen with a grin.

The elf nodded. "Yes, you have."

"Really? That's great!"

Ealisay laughed at his enthusiasm and was reminded of some of the younger knights, including Gilmore, who stayed at Castle Highever. There were many times where she would sneak out of the family quarters and listen to the ribald jokes and songs of the knights and squires if they had gone out and defended the land from bandits. Time had flown by then as she giggled quietly along with the men. Of course she didn't know what the jokes meant then but the cheerful energy around them influenced her.

"The Lady needs another ale over here!" Alistair shouted to the room in general and Bella came over with a fresh mug full of cold, frothy ale.

Ealisay raised her mug to the Warden. "At least you're good for something, my prince."


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Major was snoring again.

There were nights when Major's snoring woke the rest of her family and had to be sent to the kennels to sleep for the rest of the night. The sound wasn't coming from the floor or the foot of the bed but from next to her. Major never did that either. Something wasn't right but the haze in her mind from the night left a heavy fog over most of it. She turned over to face the sound and reached out her hand to feel the short silky coat of her hound and instead felt the barely there fluff of a masculine chest. Her touch made the chest moan and a large calloused hand grabbed a hold of hers and caused her to move closer when it rolled over to face away from her.

This wasn't right. She couldn't be in bed with...a man? Her eyes cracked open to see short blond hair and broad shoulders. Luckily he was only naked from the chest up and not completely naked. She would hate to not be able to remember if she had slept with him. Slowly she inched her hand out of his grasp and slipped herself out of the bed. Like Alistair she was not naked but her head was pounding and through the linen curtain that shielded them from the windows and the outside world was cast an orange hue of morning sunshine. As quietly as she could she put on her armor and carried her pack and sword and shield out of the room.

Major was laying in the doorway and his massive head lifted as she stepped over him. He whined softly and stretched to standing to follow her. Bodies of villagers lay strune throughout the tavern. Llyod was at the bar and gave her a hardy smile when he saw her start to pick her way through the sleeping bodies.

"Good morning, my lady." he greeted softly and bent down to get something from under the bar. "You are the first up so you get my special morning after breakfast of eggs, bacon with cheese baked into a fluffy roll."

"Sounds delicious, thank you." Ealisay replied just as softly and took the warm linen wrapped roll and sniffed the comforting fragrance coming off of it. "Smells delicious too. How much do I owe you for the room and ale?"

Llyod chuckled softly. "It's taken care of, my lady. I saw your walking statue meandering by the Mill earlier." His eyes lit up and he thumped the bar top. "I also have supplies for you brought by one of the Arl's servants this morning. Should last you for alteast two weekd on your own."

Ealisay had forgotten about Shale though she couldn't imagine how you could forget a six foot tall walking boulder. "Thank you. Maker guide you."

She took the sack of food from Lloyd and with a thanking nod she walked out of the tavern.


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Shale was standing outside of the tavern. "Where does it wish to go now that we've crushed this village's undead?" The golem glared down at Major.

Ealisay shrugged and started down the hill to the village. "Well, I still have to go to down to the blacksmith but get my armor fixed...I was thinking of heading to Orzammar."

"Lady Cousland?"

Shale and Ealisay turned to see Daylen coming down from the tavern with a scroll tied with a red ribbon in his hand. The elf was dressed in regular clothing and was unarmed. He gave her a small bow which she returned.

"You said you are heading Orzammar?" he asked lightly.

"Yes." Ealisay cast him a curious glance.

Daylen cleared his throat softly."My companions and I encountered a dwarven merchant who said that the dwarven city is closed to outsiders."

Ealisay frowned. "Oh, well, there goes that plan."

He held out the scroll and she saw the warden's seal on the wax binding. "This treaty is to compel the King to send troops to help fight the Blight. Only the Assembly may address it and they must honor the treaty." he took a deep breath and lifted his chin. "Would you honor the Grey Wardens in being our emissary to the dwarves in to help fight the Blight?"

Ealisay looked from the scroll to Daylen in disbelief. "I... it would be an honor to help you, Grey Warden. I shall put all my energy into helping you."

She took the scroll out of his hands and with a shift of weight from her pack she slipped it into a pocket and tied it tight.

Daylen grinned cheekily at her. "I'll put in a good word for you with Alistair."

Ealisay looked at him sharply and tried to fight the little blush that was emerging on ears. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Silly Warden."

He had the sense to laugh and thump her on the shoulder. "I even convinced the captain of the Raven to give you a ride to the port closest to the road up to Orzammar. Shouldn't take you more than a week to get to Orzammar."

"That is very kind." she replied and Major barked in agreement. "Where are you off to after this?"

"The last treaty is the Dalish Elves so we shall be heading into the Brecilian Forest to find them."

"Shall we meet here then?" she asked since Redcliffe was in the median of distance between the two areas.

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea considering the Arl will be speaking at the Landsmeet for us."

"Very well I shall bid you good-bye and good journey to you and yours." she replied with and smile and a bow turned to continue down to Owen's Smithy.

Shale and Major stayed outside of the smoky building where Owen was already at work repairing armor and weapons for the militia for the battle that might come. He grinned happily at her as she closed the door behind his grey beard stringy with sweat and ash.

"Ah good Valena gave you my message." he said stepping away from his bellows. He picked up a shiny bundle and came over to her. "For rescuing the only thing worth living for."

It was armor, sturdier than the leather she wore now and in the dwarven style. She had only seen like this a few times with knights of the crown. "T-Thank you, I have never seen such wonderful armor. I am honored to wear it."

The older man's face reddened with the praise. "I saw that your armor was near to falling apart and thought of this armor for you. A hero such as yourself deserves such armor."

Ealisay smiled and felt her cheek flame."Thank you but I am no hero. I merely did what any good person would do." receiving gifts from strangers always caused her a little insecurity. I should go, there is a ship waiting for me."

"Andraste watch over you, my lady." Owen replied as he closed the smithy door behind her.

The village was just rising from its slumber when Ealisay walked across the village center to the farthest dock that held the Raven. The villagers she passed along the way bowed to her and thanked her for their salvation. She could merely answer with an abashed smiled and a heating of her cheeks. Shale and Major kept to her side as they made it across the dock to the their transport.

In the morning sun it cast shifting shadows and swayed slightly as if it were a horse ready by on her way. The crew were already making the wooden steed ready for her run, their calls echoing over the water.

"Ahoy there!" she called to the main deck. Major echoed her sentiments in a happy bark.

A crewman's head popped over the side. "Ahoy there, my lady!" he disappeared from view. "Captain! It's the Lady!"

The upper half of Reynolds' body came into view and he smiled down at her. "Morning, my lady. I was about to send one of my men to fetch you."

"Permission to come aboard, sir?" she called up, matching his grin.

"Permission granted, my lady!" he disappeared. "Bring out the gangplank, lads!"

Two of the crewmen swung over the side of the ship as the gangplank's door was thrown open and the long, wooden gangplank slid out. Quickly, Ealisay and her two companions stepped back to let the men work. When they were done Reynolds waved for her to come up. Shale eyed the thin planks of wood warily but shrugged and followed Ealisay up the rickety walkway up to the ship. For a moment it felt like the golem would fall through and land in the murky water. Ealisay felt the ship let go a collected sigh as the giant cam aboard.

None of them had seen a golem before, especially one with giant crystals sticking our of her body. Reynolds looked up at the golem and back at Ealisay with a smile. "The Grey Wardens said you needed to get to Orzammar?"

Ealisay nodded. "Indeed, I hope that it won't trouble you to do so?"

Reynolds gave her a sweeping bow. "You wish is my command, my lady. We should reach the port opposite Kinhold by mid morning tomorrow. We've erected a nice canopy on the top deck for you and your companions since its such a nice day for sailing."

"As long as none of those dirty flying vermin are about." Shale hissed.

"Don't care for birds, do you?" Reynolds chuckled.

Shale stared down at the man."It would too if they decided to make it their perch for several decades."

Ealisay couldn't help but smile at the vehemence in the golem's voice. "Thank you Captain, you are very kind."

"Not at all, my lady. Please, follow me." he replied gesturing to the stairs that led up to the top deck were a large piece of white sailcloth was installed on four tall posts to serve as a canopy.

A large chair, side table and ottoman were set under for her with a carafe and a tray of meats and bread laid out for her. She shouldn't have been surprised by the attention that the crew were giving her but after so much time from the death of her family and the self-reliance that she had from traveling with her hound and Shale made her grateful for it. Carefully she placed her pack and weapons down near the chair and sat down, feeling the velvety cushion give under her.

"Alright lads!" Reynolds replied and came over to the the wheel. "Lady Cousland has important business. Lets be off."